The Fareway Mission
by anywhat
Summary: Ben and Gwen travel to England to thwart the Forever Knights once again, but another force creates a new problem for the pair.
1. At the Castle

**A/N: I know I'm probably out of character, but whatever. I don't see Kevin appearing in this fic either, so sorry Gwevinites. Anywho, enjoy.**

"I guess Forever Knight training isn't what it used to be," Ben quipped to the man attacking him. Sir Halliday growled in response as he began a series of complicated sword strokes aimed at Ben, each a killer. But Ben had fought the knights too many times and was not even mildly concerned. He simply dodged and ducked and hit and kicked as the opportunities came, and it was a bruised and bloody man the fell to his knees in exhaustion and pain.

Ben felt Gwen's presence behind him as he hauled the man to his feet and pressed his throat to the castle wall. "Now, maybe you'll feel like telling us where you're hiding the Fareway guns," he said, his voice deceptively easy. The Fareway guns were something the Plumbers could not merely ignore as they did the laser lances. Created to kill a species whose bodies were harder than even Crystalsapiens', they had the potential to levy armies.

"You'll never make me talk, wretch," Halliday spat, his body language and eyes steeled to the hero. Perhaps a handsome man at some point, his face was cut and bloody, and his medium build body shook with weariness and the after effects of adrenaline. Ben had relieved him of his helmet, and his dirty blonde hair was matted to his head with sweat, or perhaps as an effect of the helmet itself.

Ben smiled, knowing that that alone was more fearsome than any threat of pain. "You think we're waiting for you to decide? Don't be stupid," he mocked. "Either you tell us where the weapons are, or my cousin here," he gestured at his waiting cousin, whose expression was far more stern, "can take the knowledge from you. Your choice."

Indecision shown in Halliday's eyes. Gwen was foreign, but known as a formidable magician and regarded with awe and fear among the organization. What talents she might hold were beyond his guess, but he supposed the process of discovering the location of the guns was not going to be pleasant.

"Whatever," Ben said airily, moving to the side to give Gwen a better vantage point. She began to walk forward to the knight, a ball of light forming in her right hand. She began to move it to press against the knight's forehead when he cracked.

"All right, all right, all right," Halliday babbled, panicked. "I'll tell you. The Fareway guns," he began, but hesitated slightly as years of discipline reasserted themselves. What he was doing was no less than treason, and he was sure word would reach his commanders. His future was precarious as it was, and this might be enough to send him off the edge.

But Gwen pressed forward and there was no going back for Halliday. "The Fareway guns were transported this morning to Extanton. They should arrive on the morrow at the Watergate warehouse."

"Thanks," Ben said, letting the defeated man drop to his knees, his eyes fixed emptily on the floor. He sauntered out of the castle, Gwen on his heels. "I'll let them know you said hi," he added as he left through the gates.

The two cousins got into Ben's car and began to drive south toward Exeter.

"I'll take the information from you?" Gwen said skeptically.

"I couldn't let him know the watch had timed out," Ben retorted easily. "Beside, you've got quite a reputation among the knights. It wouldn't hurt to play on it sometimes."

"When did you become so devious?" Gwen asked, regarding Ben with a tired smile.

"When I learned how much fun it could be," Ben answered her, a mischievous edge to his grin. "If you take our jobs too seriously, you'll probably go insane," he added. Gwen nodded assent, for it was a demanding life they lived.

"I guess. Anyway, I'm gonna take a nap."

"'Kay. I'll wake you up when we get there."

Gwen promptly fell asleep, jet lag catching up with her, and Ben turned the radio on low. The English countryside was pleasant, and it was an easy drive for Ben. But the drive wasn't the problem.


	2. On the Road

Hex flew behind the sleek sports car undetected, for not only was his magic strong enough to conceal his presence from the girl, but the cloudy British sky was thick enough to hide most anything. For two hours he followed, tense with anticipation.

The girl was just too strong. There was nothing else to it. After their last fight, a horrible humbling experience, he had lamented to his niece the unfair situation.

"You want to fight a little girl again?" she had asked sarcastically, but Hex had found inspiration in the comment nonetheless. Gwen had become so infuriating as of late that simply killing her was no longer an option. He would show her what it was to be on the short side of power.

The car rounded a bend that brought them into a small secluded grove of trees. Judging the time was right, Hex made his move. Sending a powerful blast from his staff, he sent the car spinning out of control only to stop haphazardly a few feet off the road.

Gwen exited the car, her hands pink with energy. "For the last time!" she shouted at the magician. "Stop following me!"

She shot mana at Hex in the form of explosive balls, but he dodged easily. "Oh I promise you," he sneered, "this will be the last time we meet."

Ben stepped out of his side of the car, scowling at the cloaked figure in the sky. "Hex, this is getting ridiculous. Why don't you find a new hobby?"

"Hold your tongue! The sorcerer shouted while firing a concentrated arc of lightning at the man. Ben ducked beneath the car as the lightning passed over, but Hex was sneaky and hit Gwen with a blast of his own mana while she was distracted by the light show.

Gwen was thrown to the ground and Hex seized the opportunity. Pulling out the flask full of a potion he had oh so carefully prepared, he swooped in on the fallen girl with the hopes of dousing her with it while she was distracted.

What he failed to notice in his excitement was the green flash from behind the car. He saw the alien called Jetray out of the corner of his eye, but his wrist was already in motion and it was with a sense of utter failure and anger that he watched the contents of the flask be wasted on the changeling.

With a shouted cry of rage, Hex flew off at sonic speeds, his anger giving him an unusual amount of energy. He heard the girl remark in surprise, but didn't care. His anger clouded his mind and nearly blinded him to the world. And it was in this fashion that he flew home to report his latest failure to his niece.


	3. After the Battle

Gwen didn't know what to do with herself for a few moments. That potion could have done anything. And Hex had made it sound particularly nasty. She could only hold her breath as the blinding green light died down and she was able to glance at her cousin for the first time.

"Oh my god," she breathed.

"What? What's wrong?" Ben asked, but as he did, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Why is my voice all weird?" he questioned, frantically patting himself down, checking for injuries.

Gwen just shook her head for the moment. "Ben, I... you..."

Suddenly Ben got a good look at his hands. The scars that had previously mapped out his knuckles were no longer there. Instead his hands were now pale and perfect, if a bit translucent. But one thing was different.

They were too small.

"Gwen, how old am I?" Ben asked in a panic.

"I... don't know," Gwen said, trying to shake off her stupor.

Ben ran over to the car to see his reflection in the tinted window. What he saw was... surprising. Before he had to duck to see into the car, but now he was barely tall enough to see over the handle. The boy that stared back at him looked like he still had a lot of growing left to do.

"Okay, okay, this is okay," Ben said, but he knew he was babbling.

"It's okay?" his cousin asked. "How is this okay? You're like six years old!"

"I don't know," Ben admitted, still scrutinizing himself in the window. "But we can't freak out."

He fixed his cousin with a look, and she calmed herself down, more for his sake than her own.

"You're right," she admitted. "We have to be logical." She thought for a moment. "Hex wouldn't have put the time in to make the potion permanent," she mused. "He probably thought he'd fight a weakened me and be done with it."

She noticed the tension leave Ben and was sorry she had made such a big deal about it. "Yeah," Ben said, turning to look back at his reflection in the tinted car windows. After a few seconds he added, "Probably just a day or so."

Gwen thought hard about what this meant for the mission. Was Ben in danger now because of his age? He had fought villains as a ten year old, but now he was even younger and Gwen didn't know if he was capable of going against an entire battalion of knights.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Ben, who was still admiring himself in the window. "Wow," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I almost forgot how adorable I used to be."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "I think you should go back to the States," she told him.

Ben waved her comment aside. "Oh come on, Gwen," he said. "You said yourself how important this mission was and that the effects would only be like a day or so. I'll just wait it out."

"I really think you should-"

"Gwen, I don't need to,"

"Really, it's dangerous now and you're in no shape-"

Ben cut her off. "I'm staying here," he stated, arms crossed defiantly.

His cousin smirked. "You're kinda cute when you're mad," she teased. Ben frowned, which only made Gwen's smile widen. Regretfully, she recalled how stubborn her cousin was even when he was older.

"I guess," she gave in. She knew there was no swaying him. She made her way over to the car, already scheming how to keep the boy distracted from the mission until the potion wore off, when Ben interrupted her.

"Uh, Gwen?" he asked, smirking.

"What?"

"I can't drive anymore," he smiled at her. With a start, she realized she had gotten in on the passenger side. Quickly she jumped out.

"Sorry."


	4. At the Hotel

Gwen looked over to Ben, who had fallen asleep after half an hour. She would never tell him, but he really was an adorable child. Though now closed, his eyes held such wondering intensity and innocence that it would seem that he could do no wrong. It was only when the sparkle of mischief lighted them that Ben no longer seemed like such an angel. His body was angular, as Ben had always been a thin boy, and almost appeared fragile. Gwen felt an uncommon surge of protectiveness, even beyond what she normally felt, but reminded herself that the potion would wear off in a day or so.

Gwen stopped at a light just outside of town. The stop woke Ben, who had dozed the entire way. He rubbed his eyes, which Gwen thought was absolutely adorable, and blinked at his cousin.

"Where are we?" he asked sleepily.

"Just outside the town," she answered.

"Good," Ben replied, shaking off the effects of his nap. "Now to find this Watergate warehouse."

"Now to find a hotel," Gwen corrected. "We're not searching for murderers while you can't reach the water fountain."

Ben glared at her, but soon relented. "Fine," he huffed, settling back in his chair. "What looks good to you?"

Gwen drove around, searching for a suitable place, when she found a clean looking hotel off to the side. She pulled up.

"Stay in the car," she told her cousin.

"Gwen, please," Ben said while exiting the car. "I know I look six, but I'm still older than you."

"By fourteen minutes," his cousin muttered as she got out.

Ben shrugged and waited by the door. Gwen shot him a dirty look as she pulled the door open. The reception area was well kept, with a few couches scattered around and a breakfast area off to one side. Gwen walked up to the counter and went about securing a room, while Ben, after finding out that he could no longer see over the counter, wandered around, testing his new arm length.

The receptionist was a rather cheery woman, and after she gave Gwen her room key she turned her attention toward Ben, who had returned. "Hello there, young mister," she said sweetly. "Where are you from?"

"We're from the States, ma'am," Ben responded, adopting a look of such childish innocence that, coupled with the _ma'am_, made Gwen's eyes roll. "We're just looking around."

"Well isn't that delightful," the woman answered, taken with Ben's manners. "I hope you have fun while visiting us," she added. And, almost as an afterthought, she pulled out a large lollypop. Ben's eyes grew appreciatively wider. "And here you go, young man," she said. Ben gratefully accepted the treat, immediately putting the entire thing in his mouth.

The woman looked back at Gwen, who had watched the exchange with disapproving detachment. "Breakfast is at seven," she told her as a farewell. Gwen nodded and with a final thank you led her distracted cousin to their room.

"If this is what childhood is like, I can't believe I ever grew up," Ben said, flopping on his bed with the sucker in hand. He stretched out in snow angel formation. "My bed is so big now."

Gwen put her suitcase neatly beside her bed. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

Ben sat up, his manner becoming all at once more serious. "We need to start searching for the warehouse," he began around a mouthful of sucker.

Gwen desperately searched for some way of distracting Ben. "How would we start?" she asked, stalling for time.

"I suppose we could ask around. Maybe the receptionist out there knows," Ben replied. He got up to question her, but was forestalled by Gwen.

"You can't ask," she said. "It would be kind of suspicious if a six year old started asking questions about warehouses and illegal activity."

Ben saw the logic in her statement. "Fine," he said moodily, and Gwen noticed that he had finished his sucker.

"I'll get you another sucker," she added as she left. Ben looked suitably offended at the comment, but Gwen knew he was a tad mollified. Grinning softly to herself, she went out back into the lobby to pick the receptionist's brain.


	5. Back at Base

Halliday stood at attention, hoping his anxiety wasn't obvious, yet knowing that it was. He had been summoned to the court almost immediately after the changling had left, and he knew his future was uncertain at best. Halliday was still sore from the beating he took, and even standing right now was painful. He knew his face was a mess of cuts and bruises, but it didn't matter now.

Halliday knew it was an act to draw out the suspension. His previous failures had been read out to him. The Greenwich debacle, the incident at the highway, and now treason at the hands of Tennyson. Each one had caused the pit in his stomach to writhe. Now the officer in front of him, Sir Stanton, let silence reign as he considered Halliday. He wished he could shout at the officer in front of him to just get on with it, but insubordination was tolerated even less than failure, leaving him to sweat it out.

Finally, the man drew breath to speak. Halliday kept up a resolute poker face.

"One last chance, Halliday," Stanton said. Halliday tried desperately to hide his relief. "Ben Tennyson is going to be at the warehouse. And when he attempts to disrupt our plans, you _will _stop him."

"Yes, sir," Halliday said firmly.

Stanton gave a small nod. "Dismissed."

Halliday gave a smart turn and strode out of the office, but once he reached the hallway his confidence faded as his shoulders sagged. Tennyson had already beaten him once, and it hadn't looked as if too much effort had gone into it. Plus he had his cousin. The two combined were feared across the universe, and he was only a man.

But he knew there was no alternative. It was do or die now. With confidence born out of desperation, Halliday began walking out of the base. His mind turned with half formed thoughts and plans. He couldn't hope to match the Tennysons in strength or skill, but maybe he could outwit them.

It was his only option.


	6. At the Shop

"What'd she say?" Ben asked as soon as the door opened.

Gwen handed him the cherry sucker she had grabbed and considered lying, but thought better of it. "The only warehouses in town are over behind the business district. They're mostly abandoned though."

Ben's now large eyes shown. "Sounds like a hotspot then," he said, biting through his sucker to finish it. "Better get down there." He hopped off the bed.

Gwen forestalled him. "Ben, it hasn't even been four hours. Why don't we wait until you change back? They're not going anywhere."

"Yeah, but those guns are, and now that they know we're coming they'll be in a hurry to move them."

Gwen sighed. Ben rolled his eyes and compromised. "Oh, fine. How about we just go check it out. Reconnaissance. Then we can make a plan or whatever and wait till I'm better."

Gwen relented, knowing it was all she was going to get from her stubborn cousin. Satisfied somewhat, both headed out of the room. On their way out of the inn, Ben gave a huge smile and a way at the front desk woman. She smiled back at him and returned the way. "Bye, sweetie," she called. "Come back soon!"

"Ham," Gwen muttered under her breath.

They both got into the car, Gwen relishing the feeling of being behind the wheel. Her own car was fine, but it was suited to her needs and was in another class compared to Ben's slick sports car. She pulled out and got back on the road, savoring the power beneath her feet.

"Having fun?" Ben asked, a smirk adorning his small face. Gwen gave a guilty smile.

"You know, you could have had one too," Ben teased.

"It wasn't what I wanted," Gwen responded. She eyed her cousin, his seat swallowing him whole. The boy had to keep pushing his seatbelt out of his face. "Shouldn't you be in a car seat?" she teased. Ben frowned at her, unable to find a reply.

They turned into the business district and Gwen suddenly realized how close they were to danger. Casting about desperately for a distraction, she finally found what she needed.

"Hey Ben, there's an ice cream place over there."

Ben craned his head to see out the window. "Hmmmm" he considered. Gwen watched him, knowing it was just an act. "Well, I suppose they're not going anywhere."

Gwen smirked and pulled over in front of the store. Exiting the car, she followed Ben into the parlor and got in line. Ben looked above the counter with wondering eyes, deciding on a flavor. Gwen knew she was getting vanilla in a waffle cone and spent her time examining Ben. She remembered the last time this had happened, again because of Hex, but she had been too young to really think about it. She half wondered what she had looked like as a child. _At least he doesn't have the mind of a six year old, _she thought.

Finally, they reached the counter. A blonde teenage girl manned the counter and smiled down at Ben, who just barely reached above the counter. Gwen placed her order and then gestured to Ben to order.

"And what can I get for you?" the girl asked sweetly.

Ben looked up at her. "I'll have two scoops of rocky road, with sprinkles, in a waffle cone please," he said.

"Sure thing, Hun," the girl asked, moving to get his order. While she worked, a customer in front of the pair who had just gotten his order came back to the counter.

"Oh, Jenny," the man said, "I don't need you to watch the kids this evening. We're staying in after all."

"All right," the blonde said. The man went back to his booth while Ben's eyes followed him.

"You know, if you were my babysitter, you could babysit me any time you wanted," Ben said, his face totally serious. Gwen rolled her eyes, but Jenny was completely taken.

"Well aren't you the sweetest thing," she said, putting a third scoop on the cone. Ben accepted the cone with a smile while Gwen paid.

"Bye, miss," Ben said as they found a table outside the store. Jenny smiled and waved the boy goodbye.

As soon as they sat down, Gwen raised an eyebrow at her cousin. "Don't you think that was a bit overkill?"

Ben stopped licking his cone and smiled devilishly at his cousin. "Not at all," he said. Gwen just shook her head.


	7. At the Shop II

Sir Halliday walked the streets of the medium sized town, considering his next move. The familiar roads were comforting, which was what he needed right now. He had the beginnings of a plan, more of an idea really, turning in his mind, but it just wasn't clear yet. He felt the fear whispering in the back of his mind. But he was fairly certain he could outwit Ben. It was his cousin that was known for being the mental challenge.

As he thought about his future, he caught sight of an ice cream store tucked between two apartments. Perhaps some food will help, he thought. He casually breezed into the store, selected a flavor and size bowl, and made his way back out. As he walked back out though, he failed to notice a small boy walking past, and consequently ran into him with his leg. The incident caused the youngster to drop his cone onto the floor. As the child looked up at him with sad and somewhat accusatory eyes, Halliday was quick to make amends.

"Oh dear, I am sorry," he apologized to the boy. As soon as he spoke though, something flashed in the boy's eyes and they grew wide. "Here, if you clean that up, I'll get you another. Rocky road, yes?" The child made an opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out.

Poor thing's shy, Halliday though, and offered his most charming smile, although with his battered face he was sure he didn't look very charming. "Right then," he said, and went back to the counter. As he was ordering though, he was disappointed to find that they were out of medium cones. He stubbornly looked at the model, angry at it for deceiving him. "You want the model?" the cashier asked. Suddenly Halliday grinned.

"Yes, I'd like the model," Halliday replied warmly, and went back to bring the boy his cone. But the boy had disappeared, leaving the mess behind him.

Halliday rolled his eyes and thought fleeting of the horrible state of today's youth, but it couldn't dampen his spirits. He simply threw the cone away and went back to the castle, newfound purpose in his stride.


	8. At the Shop III

Ben was hammering on the women's bathroom door. "Gwen! Gwen! Gwen, come on!"

The door opened with a jerk as Gwen quickly scanned for the danger, but Ben grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the store. They ducked into the car just as Gwen asked, "Ben, what are you doing?"

Ben looked back at the shop, his eyes squinted with focus. "Halliday," he told his cousin. "I saw him, in the ice cream shop."

"In the ice cream shop?" Gwen asked incredulously. "What's he doing now?"

"Buying me an ice cream cone," Ben answered.

Gwen gave him an incredulous face. "Why-"

"There he is!" Ben grabbed Gwen and pulled her down, but the two still kept eyes on the knight. As they watched, he looked around, presumably searching for Ben, but when he didn't find him he simply shrugged and threw the cone away. He strode away toward the warehouses, unaware of the four eyes trained on him.

"Think he knows we're here?" Gwen asked, but Ben shook his head.

"He knows we're coming, but he couldn't have known we were here. And he didn't seem to recognize me," Ben assured her.

Gwen looked at him, the corners of her mouth pulled up in a poorly hidden smirk. "I guess that means no more ice cream for you, young man, since you couldn't wait for that fine gentleman-" she broke off in giggles. Ben shot her a pained look, and Gwen composed herself slightly. "But really, what was he doing here?"

"Meeting with officers? Taking a break? Planting explosives? I don't know, Gwen. But whatever it was, he looks like a man with a plan now. We better move."

Gwen nodded and pulled out of the parking space. "Let's go find the jerk who tried to buy you an ice cream," she teased one last time. Ben rolled his eyes.


End file.
